IWCA Chapters
IWCA Chapters are independent, volunteer-driven, community impact organizations. Contact information is listed below to facilitate partnership building. Contributions can be made to specific IWCA Chapters through the IWCA Online Donations Portal.
Chapter List
The IWCA is a vibrant network of independent organizations, called IWCA Chapters, in 35 countries, united by the shared mission to empower women across the global coffee industry.
Consuming & Producing Countries
IWCA Chapters At-A-Glance: Africa & the Middle East
IWCA Chapters are independent, volunteer-driven, community impact organizations. Contact information is listed below to facilitate partnership building. Contributions can be made to specific IWCA Chapters through the IWCA Online Donations Portal.
IWCA Burundi
IWCA Burundi
President: Joselyne Nineza Vice President: Rosa Paula Nahimana
2,000+ members, 90%+ identify as coffee producers
Regions: Kayanza, Ngozi, Mwar et Muyinga
Strategic Priorities: increase family incomes, increase coffee quality, training for farmers
IWCA Democratic Cameroon
IWCA Democratic Cameroon
President: Patricia Tomaino Vice President: Rebecca Kamgue
Member data collection in progress, majority are coffee producers
Regions: Western Cameroon
Strategic Priorities: farmer access to market, opening new cafe to support domestic coffee consumption & culture
IWCA Democratic Republic of Congo
IWCA Democratic Republic of Congo
President: Marie Paul Vice President: Lydie Kasonia
Also known as Initiative des Femmes dans le Cafe-Cacao
9,000+ members, 98% identify as coffee producers
Regions: all coffee growing regions in DRC
Strategic Priorities: build washing stations in rural areas, purchase professional roasting equipment, boost domestic consumption through women-owned cafes
IWCA Ethiopia
IWCA Ethiopia
President: Sara Yirga Vice President: Anh Yassin
Also known as Ethiopian Women in Coffee (EWiC)
45 members, including producers, exporters, & roaster/retailers
Regions: all coffee growing areas in Ethiopia
Strategic Priorities: coffee quality training, national & international partnerships, build capacity for small-holder producers, and help grow the coffee sector in the country.
IWCA Kenya
IWCA Kenya
President: Josphine Ndikwe Vice President: Faith Karimi
Founded in 2022
Strategic Priorities: Market access and logistics, facilitating industry connections and knowledge sharing, and access to financing.
IWCA Rwanda
IWCA Rwanda
President: Immy Kamarade Vice President: Anitha Keza
270 beneficiaries, all coffee producers
Regions: all coffee regions in Rwanda
Strategic Priorities: support rural women producers to own their own trees, build traceability partnerships
IWCA Tanzania
IWCA Tanzania
President: Bahati Miwilo Vice President: Ida Mkamba
Also known as TAWOCA (Tanzanian Women in Coffee Association)
Member data collection in progress
Regions: Mbeya, Songwe, Kilimanjar, Songea
Strategic Priorities: build capacity of Chapter, increase access to training for coffee quality and business development
IWCA Uganda
IWCA Uganda
President: Doreen Rweihangwe Vice President: Ruth Lwetabe
230+ members: 68% identify as coffee producers, 26% as coffee workers
Districts: Ibanda, Mityana, Luwero, Kapchorwa, Sironko
Strategic Priorities: Lobby & advocacy, economic access & empowerment, shared decision-making training
2020 5 Region Farmer Data Collection to inform work to build advocacy network. See video documentary for more project results.
Go Fund Me Campaign to fund staff support for IWCA Uganda in Kampala (goes live on December 1).
IWCA Chapters At-A-Glance: Middle East
IWCA Chapters At-A-Glance: Middle East
IWCA Chapters are independent, volunteer-driven, community impact organizations. Contact information is listed below to facilitate partnership building. Contributions can be made to specific IWCA Chapters through the IWCA Online Donations Portal.
IWCA Yemen
President: Sameeha Al-Almutwkel Vice President: Entsar Ali Al-Abidi
Also known as Ezhar Organization for Development
17 members, coffee producers & workers
Regions: all regions in Yemen
Strategic Priorities: seeking support for Chapter capacity building, local and international coffee sales, funds to launch local storefront.
IWCA Chapters At-A-Glance: Asia & Oceania
IWCA Chapters At-A-Glance: Asia & Oceania
IWCA Chapters are independent, volunteer-driven, community impact organizations. Contact information is listed below to facilitate partnership building. Contributions can be made to specific IWCA Chapters through the IWCA Online Donations Portal.
IWCA India
IWCA India
President: Ms. Sunalini Menon Secretary: Ms. Deepali Gupta
Also known as Women’s Coffee Alliance-India (WCA-I)
Members: 27, Beneficiaries: 1,100+
Regions: Bangalore, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and other coffee-growing regions
Strategic Priorities: annual celebration, “Coffee Santhe” to raise funding to support Health Camp (see video); strategies to promote Indian coffee
Expert Roundtable: I Tasted Robusta and I Love Its Depth and Complexity
IWCA Indonesia
IWCA Indonesia
President: Francisca Indirsiani Vice President: Yusuf Rahmah
Members: 2,800+; 95%+ coffee producers
Regions: Sumatera, Java, Bali, East Nusa Tenggara, Sulawesi, Papua
Strategic Priorities: improve skills and knowledge in coffee farming, business development and coffee quality to yield increased incomes.
IWCA Myanmar
IWCA Myanmar
President: Nang Sein Myaning Vice President: Than Than Aye
Members: 50+, 70% are coffee exporters
Regions: Yangon, Mandalay, Karen State, Chin State, Kayah State, Kachin State, Shan State
Strategic Priorities: cultivating sustainable business and partnership development, increase engagement in national and international gender equity initiatives
Expert Roundtable: I Tasted Robusta and I Love Its Depth and Complexity
IWCA Philippines
IWCA Philippines
President: Pacita Juan Vice President: Princess Kumulah Sug-Elardo
Member data collection underway
Regions: all coffee regions in the Philippines
Strategic Priorities: support rural women producers, increase domestic and international market for Philippines coffee
Expert Roundtable: I Tasted Robusta and I Love Its Depth and Complexity
IWCA Papua New Guinea
IWCA Papua New Guinea
President: Catherine Pianga Vice President: Jacqueline Ruguna
PNGWICA Strategic Plan 2021 – 2025 is a succinct plan that brings together our dreams and aspirations, programs and activities that we have been and are engaged in and crafts a path into the future that we desire and aspire for.
There are six thematic program areas that PNGWICA working in;
Productivity Improvement
Scaling & Sustainable Production
Marketing
Information Technology & Communication Management
Regulatory, Legal & Policy Environment
Institutional Capacity Strengthening
IWCA Vietnam
IWCA Vietnam
President: Anh Dao Ngoc Vice President: Kim Chung Dao
20+ members: 50% identify as coffee producers
Provinces: Son La, Hung Yen, Ha Noi
Strategic Priorities: support economic empowerment for rural women and families, provide a voice and vote for women in Vietnam’s coffee sector policy forums
IWCA Chapters At-A-Glance: Latin America & the Caribbean
IWCA Chapters At-A-Glance: Latin America & the Caribbean
IWCA Chapters are independent, volunteer-driven, community impact organizations. Contact information is listed below to facilitate partnership building. Contributions can be made to specific IWCA Chapters through the IWCA Online Donations Portal.
IWCA Brazil
IWCA Brazil
President: Miriam de Monteiro Aguiar Vice President: CristianeYuki Minami
In 2012, after almost two years of voluntary work and intense mobilization, women from different producing regions of the country created the International Coffee Women's Alliance - IWCA Brasil, on October 6th, on the occasion of the 7th Espaço Café Brasil, held in São Paulo, with the support of SEBRAE.
IWCA BRAZIL - International Coffee Women's Alliance is a network formed by women involved in the entire coffee business chain – from bean to cup that:
constitutes a forum for connection and exchange of experiences and knowledge
inspires and empowers women through access to training, learning and information
advocates reducing barriers for women by providing access to markets
represents women in national and international bodies
makes visible the role of women involved in the coffee business
IWCA Colombia
IWCA Colombia
President: Lilia Cardona Vice President: Ana Maria Donneys
For the IWCA Colombia, this is our main goal to have a leading role in the national coffee industry promoting gender equality and creating opportunities for women in coffee of Colombia.
Women need economic independence to empower themselves, to have a decision-making role in their families, coffee should be a possible solution that provides women with a sustainable income that guarantees wellbeing for them and their families.
Coffee women in Quindio: 1 747
Hectares of coffee crops: 6 160.78
Coffee produced by Women: 124 842.70 Kg
IWCA Costa Rica
IWCA Costa Rica
President: Kathia Zamora Afaro, Vice President: Gabriela Miranda Loría
Also known as Alianza de Mujeres en Café de Costa Rica
Members: 12+, Estimated beneficiaries: 5,000
Regions: All coffee growing regions.
Strategic Priorities: supporting farming communities, working to build partnerships to continue Chapter operations
IWCA Dominican Republic
IWCA Dominican Republic
President: Maria Estefani Zapata, Vice President: Maria Moreta
Members: 280+; 50%+ coffee producers, 40%+ coffee workers
Regions: All regions in country.
Strategic Priorities: promote leadership of women coffee producers at national and international levels; build organizational capacity through education programs to strengthen women as business leaders.
Working to launch Phase II of local roasting company with coffee from IWCA Chapter members. Phase I began in 2019 through a project with Caffe Vergnano who donated and shipped a coffee roaster to the Chapter in the Dominican Republic.
IWCA El Salvador
IWCA El Salvador
President: Maria Elena de Botto, Vice President: Maria Pacas
Also known as Alianza de Mujeres en Café El Salvador
Members: 80+; 65%+ coffee producers, 20%+ exporters
Regions: Apaneca-Ilamatpec, Alotepec-Metapan, Balsamo-Quezaltepec, Chinchontepec, Tecapa-Chinameca, Cacahuatique
Strategic Priorities: create opportunities to build women’s entrepreneurship in agriculture and agro-industries to increase coffee family incomes, projects to support equity and equality in all forums, international partnerships.
IWCA Guatemala
IWCA Guatemala
President: Patricia Rios, Vice President: Ana Isabel Giron
Also known as Asociación de Mujeres en Café Guatemala
100+ members. 40+% coffee producers, 36% exporters
Departments: Chimaltenango, El Progreso, El Quiché, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Jalap, Jutiapa, Quetzaltenango, Retalhuleu, Sacatepéquez, San Marcos, Santa Rosa, Sololá, Suchitepéquez, Zacapa.
Strategic Priorities: provide a forum for women to support and encourage one another, especially to overcome challenges and achieve sustainable livelihoods; cultivate women leaders as models of competitiveness at the national and international levels.
IWCA Honduras
IWCA Honduras
President: Orieta Pinto Vice President: Sarahi Chavéz
Also known as Mujeres en Café Honduras
Members: 300, 84% are coffee exporters
Regions: All coffee regions. IWCA Honduras subchapters in Occidente, SPS, Tegucigalpa, Marcala, El Paraiso y Olancho.
Strategic Priorities: Encourage the active participation of women in coffee at national and international levels; provide women production, processing and marketing of coffee, the necessary tools to become a model of competitiveness nationally and internationally; build alliances to develop business opportunities and achieve sustainable livelihoods.
IWCA Jamaica
IWCA Jamaica
President: Marshalee Valentine Vice President: Dr. Anne Therese Birthwright
Also known as Jamaican Women in Coffee (JaWiC)
Regions: all regions of Jamaica and the diaspora
Members: 9; estimated beneficiaries: 67+
Strategic Priorities: Transform the coffee sector for women in coffee in Jamaica via field survey, quality, market access, sustainability, and leadership development.
Project with Coffee Quality Institute: Higher Ground Uplifting Women in the Jamaican Coffee Industry
IWCA Mexico
IWCA Mexico
President: Rosa Elena Cantú, Vice President: Gisela Illescas Palma
Also known as Alianza de Mujeres en Café de México
16 members: including producers, roasters, and baristas
Coffee Producing Regions: Veracruz, Oaxaca, Puebla, Veracruz y Chiapas. Coffee Consuming Regions: México City and Monterrey.
Strategic Priorities: facilitate business linkages, promote the visibility of women workers in the sector, provide tools for women’s empowerment, social and community development.
IWCA Nicaragua
IWCA Nicaragua
President: Gabriela Figueroa-Hueck Vice-President: Alexa Marin
Also known as Alianza de Mujeres en Café de Nicaragua
45 members. 40+% coffee producers
Regions: Jinotega, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Esteli, Boaco, Madriz and Managua.
Strategic Priorities: Building partnerships for training, advice and business development. Amplify the visibility of women in the coffee in the international and national markets.
IWCA Peru
IWCA Peru
President: Anggela Sara Vice-President: Alexa Marin
Also known as Alianza de Mujeres en Café de Peru
7 members. Estimated 20+ direct beneficiaries
Regions: All Regions of Peru
Strategic Priorities: Consolidate the Espressate Woman competition as a platform for the development of future barista champions create a network of contacts in the coffee industry; cultivate leaders through training workshops and market platform.
IWCA Venezuela
IWCA Venezuela
President: Jannina Poján Ruiz Vice President: Natalia Diaz
“We are a community of women, men, and young people working together for a common goal: developing professional skills, recognizing the value and strengths of each gender, and achieving greater equality in local communities and the Venezuelan coffee value chain,” said IWCA Venezuela President, Jannina Poján Ruiz.
The chapter is committed to establishing and maintaining critical dialogues with government entities to help develop a thriving coffee sector in the country.
IWCA Chapters At-A-Glance:Consuming Countries
IWCA Chapters At-A-Glance:Consuming Countries
IWCA Chapters are independent, volunteer-driven, community impact organizations. Contact information is listed below to facilitate partnership building. Contributions can be made to specific IWCA Chapters through the IWCA Online Donations Portal.
IWCA Australia
IWCA Australia
President: Veronica Ponce Vice President: Melissa Garcia
Members: 20+, majority are exporters, roasters, and retailers
Regions: New South Wales and Victoria
Strategic Priorities: provide a forum for networking and building connections across the value chain, create alliances with like-minded national and international organizations to achieve sustainability goals for all
IWCA Germany
IWCA Germany
Pending Chapter reorganization.
IWCA Greece
IWCA Greece
President: Marilena Kouidou Vice President: Eleni Michopoulou
”Our ultimate goal is to see more women join and succeed in the industry. We believe the time has come for such an initiative in our country, as society increasingly recognizes the importance of integration in all areas. We aim to have more women involved throughout the coffee value chain, and although Greece is a small country, it has a very significant coffee culture. As part of IWCA, we are committed to driving this change and making a meaningful impact.“
~Marilena Kouidou, Greece Chapter President
IWCA Italy
IWCA Italy
President: Talia Miceli Vice President: Eleonora Bernini
Women in Coffee Italy is the Italian association recognized by IWCA (International Women in Coffee Alliance): the global network supporting women along the entire coffee production chain.
Coffee is one of the most widespread drinks in the Italian tradition, so much so that it is a constantly present element in our daily life. However, we rarely stop to think about the long journey between a drupe of coffee and the steaming drink in our cup.
Have you ever thought about how many steps there are before you can enjoy a good cup of coffee ? Sowing, harvesting, processing, drying, selection, transport, roasting, packaging, distribution, grinding and extraction.
The majority of the supply chain workforce is represented by women: 70% of production workers are women and approximately 25% of agricultural companies are managed by women entrepreneurs.
This is why our association was born: to develop a global network that unites all women who have an active role in the coffee production chain with the aim of promoting better living conditions for themselves, their families and their community.
IWCA Japan
IWCA Japan
President: Yuko Itoi Vice President: Tomoko Nagase
100+ members, work as traders, baristas, and other
Regions: all areas of Japan
Publications: Coffee Women’s Story (written in Japanese)
Strategic Priorities: increase transparency across the supply chain; build awareness of women’s contributions; grow connections with coffee producing members of the IWCA
IWCA South Korea
IWCA South Korea
President: Sarah Nayeon Kim Vice Presidents: Mira Song & Lora Gyeungsun Lee
40+ active members
Strategic Priorities: Bridge the gap between coffee producers and consumers so that that both may gain knowledge and a better understanding of each other; support women farmers and increase awareness of women’s rights in the coffee market, educate and provide employment support for local women in the coffee business.
IWCA Spain
IWCA Spain
President: Diana Ayala Vice President: Chantal Demonty Cercos
Our mission is to empower and connect women in the Spanish coffee industry to support their growth, visibility, and professional development within the coffee production chain.
More information coming soon!
IWCA USA
IWCA USA
President: Renee Espinoza Vice President: Launtia Taylor
Also known as US Women in Coffee Association
Regions: Based in Chicago, reach extends across country.
Strategic Priorities: Further knowledge and understanding of the history, fundamentals, art and science of coffee; build community to focus the voice of US WOMEN IN COFFEE in representing the specialty coffee industry.
Discussion: Coffee Women’s Colloquium. Green Coffee Buying and the Supply Chain.
IWCA Chapters in Formation
At least the first three steps of the IWCA Chapter Formation Protocol have been completed in the following countries: China, Canada, & Panama.
Additional resources:
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